Little One
by hot-bloodedgirl14
Summary: She was the little one. And it was his job to protect her. He had no room for error, or mistakes, because he was the only one protecting her. Pre-Book.
1. Chapter 1

Hey!! So this is an new story, I am trying out. I have no idea where this is taking me. So please review, I know it is short this is just the first chapter. I need your first thoughts on this. Those will help, anything will help.

So here is the gist of the story: This is a AU story, pre-book. Steve has a little sister, she is about five years old. Umm..more infomation will be given out in the later chapters.

The song bit for this is "Seven Years" By Norah Jones. Which is a beautiful song, when I heard it I almost cried. If you get a chance listen to it.

Thanks to Samatha for being a awosome Beta.

Disclamer: I do not own The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton. Nor do I own "Seven Years" By Norah Jones. I own the made up characters.

Enjoy!!

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The Little One Chapter 1

**Spinning, laughing, dancing to  
her favorite song  
A little girl with nothing wrong  
Is all alone **

**Eyes wide open  
Always hoping for the sun  
And she'll sing her song to anyone  
that comes along**

**Fragile as a leaf in autumn  
Just fallin' to the ground  
Without a sound**

**Crooked little smile on her face  
Tells a tale of grace  
That's all her own**

**Norah Jones**

"Here we are." The car came to a slow stop. I looked out the window, to my house. I wasn't in my car. My car had died when I tried to start it over at the Curtis's. And it was that night that I really needed the car. Make sense, right? Soda said that he would take me to my house, and we both would look at the car in the morning. I saw that my old man's car was out front which was surprising. Normally he was at the weekly girlfriend's house or at a bar. However, my surprise was short lived when I realized someone else was also in the house.

"Thanks, Soda. I gotta go. See you tomorrow," I said hurriedly, ready to jump out.

"Hey Steve, you don't have to go in there. You can spend the night at our place." He told me sincerely.

"I'll be fine. I'll come over if I need it." I told him. I opened the door and jumped out.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow and don't worry about your car." Soda said.

"I know. See ya." I closed the door and watched him drive away. I jogged up the faded porch steps, and opened the front door.

I looked around for my old man, and noticed him sitting on the old broken couch with his new girlfriend.

"Where you been boy?" He said roughly.

"Work." I answered shortly.

"Hmm…" He hummed. "You got any money on you?"

I knew he would take all the money I had on me and we needed it more. So I lied. "Nope. Paycheck doesn't come in till the end of the week."

His glare was on me, as he tried to see through my lie.

'Have you seen that little girl-" He started to say.

"You mean your daughter? Abigail?" I said tensely.

"Yea her. I wanna show Wanda her." He pointed to his current girlfriend.

"No your new weekly girl will not see Abigail." I said again tensely.

"Wanda! Go out to the car. I'll be there in a minute." He commanded. She got up, giving me a seductive look and strutted out of the room, I heard the front door slam open and close.

"You got some nerve, boy, to talk back to me." He said getting up.

"And you got nerve to ask for someone whose name you don't even know." I spat back.

He walked up to me. "You're lucky I don't kick you out of this house boy." He hissed.

"Do it. And you'll never see the two of us ever again." I told him seriously.

"Make sure you get some money tomorrow. We're starting to run short." He took one more glance at me, turned and opened the door slamming it shut once he was out.

I took a minute to regroup myself and calm myself down before I got ready to find Abby.

"Abby. Abby you in here? Come on baby it's safe to come out now." I slowly entered her room, in effort not to scare her if she was in there. However, I didn't see her. Only her small blue knapsack did I see. I left the room and went down the hall to my room. I opened the door and repeated my call.

"Abby, Abigail, its safe. Come on out."

I heard a slight noise ahead of me toward my closet.

"Stevie." A quiet voice asked. "Stevie is that you?"

"Yea kiddo, it's me." I said. All of a sudden the closet door opened a bit and a child's head peaked out. She had dark brown almost black hair that curled down to her shoulders. Her eyes were grayish blue which were wide. Once she saw me, she opened the closet door fully and ran to me. I bent down as she ran into me giving me a child-sized hug.

"You came. I knew you would come and get me." She muffly said in my shoulder.

"I would have tried to come sooner, if I had known. You have the number for the DX and the Curtis's household." I told her.

"I didn't want to bother you." Her timid voice sounded out.

"Next time call." I said looking into her eyes. She nodded. "Why don't you get some pajamas brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

"Okay!" She quickly ran out of the room and scampered down the hall way. I silently chuckle at her innocent way.

I took my shoes and coat off and grabbed a car magazine and sat on the bed, flipping through the pages. I would change my clothes and take a shower later that night once Abby was asleep. I heard the bathroom sink run, evident that she was brushing her teeth. Soon the water stopped and the light was turned off. She then came into my room and jumped onto the bed to where I was. She put her head on my lap and closed her eyes. I started to pet her hair, letting her curls go through my hand.

"Stevie."

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"Does Daddy love me?" I suddenly stopped petting her hair, shocked at the question.

I didn't know what to say to her.

"Stevie, does Daddy love us?" She asked again.

I sighed. "Yes, Daddy loves us. Deep down, he loves us."

Then it got quiet again and I slowly started to pet her hair again. Her question was still stuck in my mind. Did he love us? I didn't know. It used to be different when I was younger. He didn't drink as much. Mom was still around at the time, and Abby was just a baby then. Things were different. Once she left, things changed, he started to drink more, and he changed.

I heard Abby starting to breathe lighter. I looked down to see her face. It was peaceful, and I wasn't about to wreck it with life's reality.

I tossed down the magazine and slowly picked Abigail bridal style. I started walking when Abby shifted slowly, snuggling closer to me. When I arrived in her room, I put her slowly on her bed and fixed her sheets to cover her. I took one more glance at her. She looked so peaceful, so young. So innocent.

I shut off the light and shut the door letting the darkness take over the room.

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Well there it is. The first chapter. I don't know where this is going, so I hope you can review and give me your thoughts on this. Cause I am stuck.

Please Review!!

Thanks for reading!! Check out my poll in my profile.


	2. Never Grow Up

**Well, finally here is Chapter two...took a long time for this to be written. But thanks for sticking around.**

**If Steve seems OC. That is because he is with his sister,who has a special place in his chapter. But when is around the gang he will be his same old self. I just want to show you the differences.**

**Thank you to the reviewers: Just Another Let down, TheNightimeSky, Out-of-Order123, randomgirl101, .2009, vampire900 and shennadoh.**

**Thank you to those who just read and put on your faves or alerts. You guys rock.**

**The Song-Bit for this is "Never Grow up" By Taylor Swift. Which I believe is a perfect song for this story. Listen to it some time ;)**

**Disclamer: I do not own "The Outsiders" By S.E. Hinton nor do I own the song "Never Grow Up" By Taylor Swift.**

**Please read and review.**

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**To you, everything's funny**

**You got nothing to regret**

**I'd give all I have honey**

**If you could stay like that**

**I won't let nobody hurt you**

**Won't let no one break your heart**

**No one will desert you**

**Just try to never grow up**

**Never grow up**

**Taylor Swift**

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The annoying alarm rang beside me. I slammed my hand on the snooze button and allowed myself to close my eyes. Just five more minutes. Just five more….

Poke. Poke. Poke.

I woke up again to the sight of Abigail's grayish-blue eyes shining brightly at me.

"What kid?" I mumbled groggily, trying to gather my bearings.

"Morning Stevie." Her small voice sounding bright and cheerful.

I couldn't help but smile at her innocence. She was so young, dealing with crap from the world. But here she was, still smiling. She counted on me as I was her only family.

"Morning Abby." I looked at the time and noticed that we had fifteen minutes to get ready. "Come on Abigail, go get dress and I'll get breakfast."

"Ok!" She got off the bed and ran quickly out of the room.

I got up and got dressed since I already took a shower and Abby took one at a family friend's house. I quickly went down to the other end of the hall, gently and quietly opening our Father's door. I noticed the messy room, and saw that he wasn't in it. Knowing he didn't come back home last night.

I slowly got into the kitchen, and started opening cabinets, looking for something to eat. There wasn't much left, which meant we needed to go to the store soon. There was a little bit of cereal left, just enough for Abby though. It didn't matter if I ate something; I would just get something at the Curtis's house.

"Abby, Abigail. Come on, breakfast is ready," I yelled.

"Coming," she yelled back. I turned and there she was running to the table in a green shirt and jeans.

"Here you go." I put the bowl on the table. She started to eat, knowing we were short on time.

I chuckled at how fast she was going. "You're going to choke if you don't slow down Abby."

She looked up at me, giving me a small smile.

"I'm done," she said after a couple minutes.

"Alright. Get your knapsack and jacket and we will head out," I told her as she ran out of the room.

I put the bowl in the sink, and quickly went into my room, to get my backpack. When I came back out, Abby was just standing there tapping her foot.

"Come one Stevie, were going to be late." Abby called out.

"I'm coming, so demanding." I playfully rolled my eyes. Abby ducked when I tried to mess with her hair.

We walked outside, where I was met with Abby's confused eyes.

"Where's the car?"

"It broke down last night, I'm fixing it today."

"Oh, so we're walking to Aunt Lacey's?" She asked as we walked along the sidewalk.

Aunt Lacey wasn't really our blood aunt. She was Mom's best friend through childhood and beyond. She's known us since we were babies. Once Mom left, she took us in. Now Abby stays there if I'm not home, it's like her second home. She also had a little girl Abby's age, Millie. Those two were very close and went to the same school.

I decided to tease Abigail a bit. "Nope didn't I tell you, we're running away and becoming bums." I chuckled.

"Stevie!" She squealed.

"Yes Abigail, we're going to Aunt Lacey's house."

After a couple of minutes, we arrived at Lacey's home. Abby ran ahead, urging me to go faster. "Come on Stevie!"

"I'm coming." As I was going up the drive, I saw the front door open, revealing Aunt Lacey. She was medium height with golden brown hair and piercing brown eyes. "Good morning Abby!"

"Morning Aunt Lacey!" She hugged Lacey's legs. "Can I play with the dolls? Please pretty please!"

Lacey laughed. "Sure, sure, they are in the living room with Millie."

"Morning Steve." She reached over to me to give me a hug.

Normally I didn't show affection to anyone. I got to keep my greaser image. Except to Aunt Lacey and Abigail.

"Hey, Aunt Lacey." I smiled gently. She let me in the house and led me to the kitchen.

"So did everything happen ok after I dropped her off?" She asked quietly.

"He came before I did. She was hiding in a closet." I huffed, mad at myself.

"It's not your fault. You couldn't have known he would come home early." She said calmly to me.

"Still, I should have been there, I was careless in thinking he wouldn't show up. If something did happen I-…" I struggled to keep my voice down.

"But nothing did happen. You can't be everywhere at once." She calmly reassured me.

I sighed. "He didn't even know her name." There was silence met with my phrase, there was nothing that Aunt Lacey could say. I continued. "Abigail asked if Dad loves us. And for once I didn't know what to tell her. So I had to lie and tell her deep down he loves her."

"You can't protect her forever. Nights like last night will happen. She's going to find out." She got up and squeezed my shoulder.

I looked her in the eyes. "I can damn well try."

She sighed. "You better get going or you're going to be late."

We walked over to the front door. "I'll pick her up tonight," I said firmly.

"Alright. Abigail come say bye to your brother." She nodded.

We both heard the pattering of her feet running toward us. She ran straight toward me as I bend down to her level. She gave me in a small hug.

"Bye Stevie," She said muffled into my shoulder.

"See ya Kiddio." I told her as I ruffled her hair.

She gave me a smile as I walked out the door.

I would protect her from him. And I damn will try for as long as I could.

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**Well I hope you enjoy that. Please read and review and tell me your thoughts about this chapter. Thanks for reading! Please review!**


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